Project description:DNA damage can promote altered RNA splicing and decreased gene expression (Gregersen and Svejstrup, 2018; Milek et al., 2017; Munoz et al., 2009; Shkreta and Chabot, 2015), and aberrant splicing is implicated in neurodegenerative diseases including amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS), Fragile X syndrome and spinal muscular atrophy (SMA) (Conlon et al., 2016; Jia et al., 2012; Loomis et al., 2014; Qiu et al., 2014; Scotti and Swanson, 2016). Therefore, we used RNA-seq data to assess RNA-splicing in double-mutant brain tissue using multivariate analysis of transcriptional splicing (rMATS) (Shen et al., 2014) and a splicing deficiency score algorithm (Bai et al., 2013) to assess intron retention.
Project description:DNA sequence variants in the TBK1 gene associate with or cause sporadic or familial amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS). Here we show that mice bearing human ALS-associated TBK1 missense loss-of-function mutations, or mice in which the Tbk1 gene is selectively deleted in motor neurons, do not display a neurodegenerative disease phenotype. However, loss of TBK1 function in motor neurons of the SOD1G93A mouse model of ALS impairs autophagy, increases SOD1 aggregation, and accelerates early disease onset without affecting lifespan. By contrast, point mutations that decrease TBK1 kinase activity in all cells also accelerate disease onset but extend the lifespan of SOD1 mice. This difference correlates with the failure to activate high levels of expression of interferon-inducible genes in glia. We conclude that loss of TBK1 kinase activity impacts ALS disease progression through distinct pathways in different spinal cord cell types and further implicate the importance of glia in neurodegeneration.
Project description:TANK-Binding Kinase 1 (TBK1) is involved in autophagy and immune signaling. Dominant loss-of-function mutations in TBK1 are linked to Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis (ALS), Fronto-temporal dementia (FTD) and ALS/FTD. However, pathogenic mechanisms remain unclear, particularly the cell-type specific disease contributions of TBK1 mutations. Here, we focus on cell-specific Tbk1 deletion in motor neurons or microglia. We find that deleting Tbk1 from mouse motor neurons does not induce transcriptional stress, despite lifelong signs of autophagy deregulations. Conversely, Tbk1 deletion in microglia alters their homeostasis and reactive responses. In both spinal cord and brain, Tbk1 deletion leads to a pro-inflammatory, primed microglial signature with features of ageing and neurodegeneration. While it does not induce or modify ALS-like motor neuron damage, microglial Tbk1 deletion causes early FTD-like social recognition deficits. This phenotype is linked to focal microglial activation and T cell infiltration in the substantia nigra pars reticulata and pallidum. Our results reveal that part of TBK1-linked FTD disease originates from microglial dysfunction.
Project description:TANK-Binding Kinase 1 (TBK1) is involved in autophagy and immune signaling. Dominant loss-of-function mutations in TBK1 are linked to Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis (ALS), Fronto-temporal dementia (FTD) and ALS/FTD. However, pathogenic mechanisms remain unclear, particularly the cell-type specific disease contributions of TBK1 mutations. Here, we focus on cell-specific Tbk1 deletion in motor neurons or microglia. We find that deleting Tbk1 from mouse motor neurons does not induce transcriptional stress, despite lifelong signs of autophagy deregulations. Conversely, Tbk1 deletion in microglia alters their homeostasis and reactive responses. In both spinal cord and brain, Tbk1 deletion leads to a pro-inflammatory, primed microglial signature with features of ageing and neurodegeneration. While it does not induce or modify ALS-like motor neuron damage, microglial Tbk1 deletion causes early FTD-like social recognition deficits. This phenotype is linked to focal microglial activation and T cell infiltration in the substantia nigra pars reticulata and pallidum. Our results reveal that part of TBK1-linked FTD disease originates from microglial dysfunction.
Project description:TANK-Binding Kinase 1 (TBK1) is involved in autophagy and immune signaling. Dominant loss-of-function mutations in TBK1 are linked to Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis (ALS), Fronto-temporal dementia (FTD) and ALS/FTD. However, pathogenic mechanisms remain unclear, particularly the cell-type specific disease contributions of TBK1 mutations. Here, we focus on cell-specific Tbk1 deletion in motor neurons or microglia. We find that deleting Tbk1 from mouse motor neurons does not induce transcriptional stress, despite lifelong signs of autophagy deregulations. Conversely, Tbk1 deletion in microglia alters their homeostasis and reactive responses. In both spinal cord and brain, Tbk1 deletion leads to a pro-inflammatory, primed microglial signature with features of ageing and neurodegeneration. While it does not induce or modify ALS-like motor neuron damage, microglial Tbk1 deletion causes early FTD-like social recognition deficits. This phenotype is linked to focal microglial activation and T cell infiltration in the substantia nigra pars reticulata and pallidum. Our results reveal that part of TBK1-linked FTD disease originates from microglial dysfunction.
Project description:TANK-Binding Kinase 1 (TBK1) is involved in autophagy and immune signaling. Dominant loss-of-function mutations in TBK1 are linked to Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis (ALS), Fronto-temporal dementia (FTD) and ALS/FTD. However, pathogenic mechanisms remain unclear, particularly the cell-type specific disease contributions of TBK1 mutations. Here, we focus on cell-specific Tbk1 deletion in motor neurons or microglia. We find that deleting Tbk1 from mouse motor neurons does not induce transcriptional stress, despite lifelong signs of autophagy deregulations. Conversely, Tbk1 deletion in microglia alters their homeostasis and reactive responses. In both spinal cord and brain, Tbk1 deletion leads to a pro-inflammatory, primed microglial signature with features of ageing and neurodegeneration. While it does not induce or modify ALS-like motor neuron damage, microglial Tbk1 deletion causes early FTD-like social recognition deficits. This phenotype is linked to focal microglial activation and T cell infiltration in the substantia nigra pars reticulata and pallidum. Our results reveal that part of TBK1-linked FTD disease originates from microglial dysfunction.
2025-07-09 | GSE254217 | GEO
Project description:VCP mutations in Chinese amyotrophic lateral sclerosis patients